Singapore mum Kim Nga Nguyễn recently got the shock of her life when she discovered maggots in baby food!
And it was all the more shocking because it came from a brand she trusted, “I have been giving my son fruit purée from this brand for more than a year. This is my first time giving him biscuit from this brand!”
“Please be careful”, she warns other parents.
Mummy Kim also informed the company, NEA and AVA about the issue.
She tells us, “The AVA officer and the distributor of Little Freddie in Singapore have contacted me. They are aware of this issue and are investigating the matter.”
The biscuits are due to expire only on 08/01/2019.
Baby food safety guidelines
Image source: iStock
Infants and young children are particularly vulnerable to foodborne illnesses because of their weak immune systems.
Here are some simple steps to take before handling and serving baby food:
- The most important step is to wash your hands.
Always wash your hands before and after handling food, and after using the bathroom, changing diapers or handling pets.
Also, clean all utensils and equipment thoroughly.
- Check the packaging of commercial baby food before serving. Always make sure to check the expiration date.
For jars: Make sure that the safety button on the lid is down. Discard any jars that don’t “pop” when opened or have chipped glass or rusty lids.
For plastic pouches: Discard any packages that are swelling or leaking.
- Before feeding, make sure to inspect the food that you’re giving your child.
- Never put baby food back in the refrigerator if the baby doesn’t finish it.
Tip: Don’t feed your baby directly from the jar of baby food. Saliva on the spoon may contaminate the food. Instead, put a small serving of food on a clean dish and refrigerate the remaining food in the jar.
If the baby needs more food, use a clean spoon to serve another portion. Throw away any food in the dish that’s not eaten. If you do feed a baby from a jar, always discard any remaining food.
- Don’t share spoons. Don’t put the baby’s spoon in your mouth or anyone else’s mouth – or vice versa.
- Never leave any open containers of liquid or pureed baby food out at room temperature for more than two hours. Harmful bacteria grows rapidly in food at room temperature.
- Do not store opened baby food in the refrigerator for more than three days.
- If you need to mix water into your baby’s food, prepare safe water for mixing. It is best to boil water first, then cool the water quickly to body temperature before mixing the formula/food.
- Make sure raw meat, fish, dairy, and meat products are stored in the freezer immediately after you buy them. Thoroughly cook poultry, meat, and fish to avoid bacterial baby food contamination.
- Homemade baby food with meat, poultry, eggs, and fish can only be kept up to 24 hours in the fridge. For baby food with fruits and vegetables, they can be kept refrigerated for up to 48 hours.
Also READ: Parents find cockroach in baby food